Non-Tenure Track Workshops

In 2011-2012 the General Faculty Organization (GFO) and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs co-sponsored three workshops for non-tenure track faculty (NTTF). Sessions were opportunities for faculty to ask questions, identify and address issues of concern, exchange information, and learn about the role of NTTF at UWB.

Key issues that emerged included:

Promotion opportunities, pathways, and eligibility

Eligibility for sabbaticals

Work expectations; roles and responsibilities, i.e. teaching, research, and service

Rights, responsibilities, and appointment terms

Full time vs. part time employment

Equity issues such as compensation, course load, course equivalencies

Eligibility for awards, serving as advisors to student groups and clubs, GFO representation

Ratio of part-time to full-time to tenure track faculty

The climate and culture at UWB

What to name NTT faculty in positive nomenclature

Topics/issues addressed through the workshops:

Information was presented to clarify pathways and processes for promotion in lecturer ranks:

Competitively recruited Lecturers and Senior Lecturers with full-time, multi-year appointments are eligible for promotion and sabbaticals.

Presentation and discussion with Carol Zander, who was promoted to Principal Lecturer, and Chuck Jackels, who was initially her Program Director and later Review Committee Chair

Academic units have made progress in hiring more faculty into full-time, multi-year appointments that provide longer term contracts, promotional pathways, and the opportunity for sabbaticals. Programs and Schools have begun collaborating on ways to bundle appointments to provide full-time employment for Lecturers, who have historically been employed on a part time basis, that ensure benefits continuation and a longer term commitment from the University.

The UW Faculty Code has been amended to allow for multi-year appointments of part-time Lecturers if they are hired as a result of a competitive national search process.

The GFO is reviewing the following:

Eligibility of Lecturers for teaching and other awards.

Eligibility of part-time Lecturers to serve as advisors to student clubs.

Discussion of part-time Lecturer representation on the GFO.

Work to be done:

Establish best practice guidelines for annual merit reviews that are consistent and equitable across programs and schools and across ranks.

Establish best practice guidelines for course equivalencies that are consistent and equitable across programs and schools and across ranks.

Address the issue of teaching vs. research and how work expectations are established based on program/school needs and faculty interests and desires.

Develop mechanisms that ensure an ongoing supportive climate and culture.